A connector (e.g. a joint connector) in which terminals of electric wires of a wire harness etc. are electrically connected to one another is mounted in a moving body such as a car. For example, this type of connector includes female type terminals, a bus bar, and a housing. The electric wires are connected to the female type terminals. The bus bar electrically connects the terminals to one another. The housing made of an insulating resin is electrically insulated. The housing is formed to have terminal receiving chambers and a bus bar receiving chamber. The terminals are received in the terminal receiving chambers. The bus bar is received in the bus bar receiving chamber. The bus bar is formed in such a manner that contact pieces extending in one and the same direction are coupled by a coupling portion. The contact pieces are configured so that elastically contactable contact point portions formed in one end portions of the terminals make contact with the contact pieces respectively (see Patent Literature 1).
FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view showing a state in which a bus bar is received in a housing of this type of connector. FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the bus bar and terminals received in the housing are connected. As shown in FIG. 5, the bus bar 51 is formed to have contact pieces 52 and a coupling portion 53 which couple these contact pieces 52. Protrusions 54 are provided on widthwise opposite sides of the coupling portion 53. The bus bar 51 is inserted into a bus bar receiving chamber 56 of the housing 55 as follows. That is, the bus bar 51 moves forward while pressing the protrusions 54 against an inner wall of the bus bar receiving chamber 56. Then, the bus bar 51 is retained in a stop position.
On the other hand, terminals 58 are inserted into terminal receiving chambers 57 formed in the housing 55 respectively. As shown in FIG. 6, the terminals 58 are positioned at lances 59 in set positions of the terminal receiving chambers 57, and the contact pieces 52 of the bus bar 51 are inserted into electric connection portions 60 of the terminals 58. Each of the electric connection portions 60 is shaped like a rectangular cylinder on its front end side. The contact pieces 52 inserted into the electric connection portions 60 are pressed against elastic arms 61 which are contact point portions folded back on inner sides of the electric connection portions 60. As a result, the terminals 58 and the bus bar 51 are connected, and the terminals 58 are electrically connected to one another through the bus bar 51.